First Surgical Assistant

How does a surgical tech become a First Assistant?

One way to become a First surgical assistant is to become a surgical tech and then apply to a First Assistant program. You’ll have to complete specific requirements before you can become a Certified First Assistant. However, becoming a surgical tech first is not the only way to become a first assistant. You can also become a surgical assistant by going to a surgical assistant school.

First Surgical Assistant

The surgical assistant provides aid in exposure, hemostasis, and other intraoperative technical functions that will assist the surgeon to carry out a safe operation with optimal results for the patient. This role will vary based on the surgical operation, specialty area, and type of facility.

Preoperative, intraoperative, and postopera- tive skills performed under direct supervision of the surgeon may include the following: positioning the patient, prepar- ing the skin, providing visualization of the operative site, utilizing appropriate techniques to assist with hemostasis, participating in volume replacement or auto-transfusion techniques as appropriate, utilizing appropriate techniques to assist with closure of body planes, selecting and applying appropriate wound dressings, and providing assistance in securing drainage systems to tissue.